An Historical Survey of the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway

An Historical Survey of the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway

Layouts and Illustrations

by C.W.Judge

The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway was authorised by Act of Parliment in 1873 and was officially opened to passenger traffic on the Northern section in April 1882 (the Southern section being opened in May 1885). It continued running into the early 1960s and was halted only during the Second World War for the extensive alterations and doubling that took place for the War effort. The route was not only picturesque but in the authors opinion potentially important, joining the Great Western Railways junction station of Didcot to Newbury, and then on to Southampton (via Winchester). This meant that trains could run from all the industrial points in the midlands and the north, straight through to the docks at Southampton.

The book sets out to give the reader a track plan of each station, junction and siding on the line from Didcot to Winchester. Additional material from wartime records has been included showing the revised track plans, extended loops and doubling that took place.

In the Second World War the line was heavily used and if the route had been left today, the author is sure that it would have become yet again a major direct rail connection serving the container docks at Southampton.

To supplement the plans of 18 stations on the railway, over 180 photographs have been included. The appendix has a selection of timetables (including working timetables) and brochures showing the type of trains that passed over the route during its working life.